Anti-abortion activists seem to forget that Planned Parenthood does a hell of a lot more than administer abortions. This is a crucial resource for women who don't have health insurance, period. If you're concerned about the way the Susan G. Komen foundation has pulled the rug out from under this critical health resource, here's what you can do.

Advertisement

Credo has a petition letter telling the board of Susan G. Komen not to defund Planned Parenthood. On this website, Credo explains how the claim that Komen can't fund Planned Parenthood because it's under investigation is bogus: The "investigation" is a politically-motivated attack by Rep. Cliff Stearns. Not only that, it's completely unnecessary -- audits by the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General and state Medicaid programs show Planned Parenthood is not engaging in any behavior that warrants a Congressional investigation. The petition is also on Change.org's website.

SignOn.org has another letter telling the Komen board not to defund Planned Parenthood. They have included an Associated Press article with this quote from Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards: "It’s hard to understand how an organization with whom we share a mission of saving women’s lives could have bowed to this kind of bullying. It’s really hurtful.” Richards is referring to anti-abortion groups who pressured Rep. Stearns to launch the bogus investigation.

You may have heard by now, the leadership of Komen has strong conservative ties. But people of all political stripes care about this issue. You can contact the Susan G. Komen foundation directly at news@komen.com or Tweet to @komenforthecure or call them at 972-701-2168.

You could pledge -- and urge your friends to pledge -- not to donate to Susan G. Komen until funding of breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood is restored.

Another money-talks tactic is to send a donation to Planned Parenthood. In addition to losing funding from Komen, they are also in need for funding to defend themselves from these ridiculous attacks -- which ultimately just punishes low-income women in need of health services. I think one petition signer said it best when she said: Cancer knows no politics.